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The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is home to many small towns, farms and rural communities. Our vision is thriving families, farms, and parishes – centered on faith, community, and care of creation. We are committed to supporting rural life through periodic events as well as resources for parishes and for families.
“So much the more, then, must great care be taken to preserve for the nation the essential elements of what might be called genuine rural culture. We must preserve the qualities of industriousness, simple and honest living, respect for authority, especially for parental authority, love of country, and loyalty to traditions which have proved a source of good throughout the centuries. We must preserve readiness to aid one another within the family circle and amongst families, from home to home. All of these qualities we must have animated with a true religious spirit, for without such a spirit these very virtues tend to degenerate into unbridled greed for profit. May the fear of God and faith in God, a faith which finds daily expression in prayers recited together by the whole family, sustain and guide the life of the workers of the fields.” [Pius XII,Address to National Convention of Farm Owner-Operators, 1946].
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is developing a local chapter of Catholic Rural Life. Catholic Rural Life (CRL) Chapters are groups of CRL members who build, celebrate, and promote rural Catholic life in their local area. These chapters are the representatives of Catholic Rural Life to their communities. They share in the CRL vision of flourishing Catholic life in rural America through thriving families, farms, and parishes – centered on faith, community and care of creation.
With the consolidation of family farms and more, our rural parishes are facing challenges. As priests are shared among clustered parishes spread miles apart from each other, there are fewer options for Mass each weekend, and fewer opportunities for ministries. In some rural areas, religious education is not always an option due to lack of resources and formation assistance.
The Love One Another grant program for rural parishes is designed to give these parishes support and assistance through training opportunities and program assistance as they develop innovative ways to respond to the changing needs of the people they serve. Your support will help rural parishes remain viable and vibrant faith communities.
Good Saint, we are told that your devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was so great
that you would rise before it was light in order to be able to attend Mass
before beginning your work in the fields.
Obtain for us, we pray you,
some of that loving devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
There it is that the fruits of our farm labor,
bread and wine, are brought and offered to God by the priest.
Then, in the Consecration, Christ Himself, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity,
becomes present on our altars
under the appearances of this same bread and wine.
And in what was the altar bread,
He comes to us to be the very food of our souls.
If we deeply realize the value and beauty of Holy Mass,
we will be very happy to attend as often as we possibly can.
Help us to understand that in the Mass
we offer ourselves to God with Christ by the hands of the priest.
There we can bring to God all that we do,
and offer it to Him in union with His Holy Sacrifice.
The more often we do this now, the happier we shall be hereafter.
Good Saint Isidore, bless us and our labors,
that we may someday reap the reward of good works with you in heaven.
Amen.
